Info on P-38J from 367thFG, "Little Buckaroo", flown by Maj. Robert C Rogers

[Vraciu]

Thanks guys.  Whatta great group you are!

Also, has this skin been in AH previously?  I can’t recall for sure.

I bet not with the Swastikas everywhere. 

[oboe]

I bet not with the Swastikas everywhere.

The kill swastikas are easy to change, without really significantly affecting the historical accuracy of the skin.   The nose art though, is a different story.  Changing that would alter the key feature of the skin, the thing that makes it unique.   The way I look at it, is that its NOT a swastika.   At some point, it WAS a swastika, before the mule kicked it into pieces.  But its not a swastika anymore...

I'm pretty sure this skin is part of the default P-38J skin set in IL-2.  Been awhile since I've been on there.  Not sure how they handled the kill marks.

[Devil 505]

The kill swastikas are easy to change, without really significantly affecting the historical accuracy of the skin.   The nose art though, is a different story.  Changing that would alter the key feature of the skin, the thing that makes it unique.   The way I look at it, is that its NOT a swastika.   At some point, it WAS a swastika, before the mule kicked it into pieces.  But its not a swastika anymore...

I'm pretty sure this skin is part of the default P-38J skin set in IL-2.  Been awhile since I've been on there.  Not sure how they handled the kill marks.

I bet the larger texture size of the new P-38 model would allow you to adequately represent the nose art. I don't think it would be possible on the older model.

[Greebo]

This scheme was never skinned on the old P-38 shape, most likely because of the Swastika issue. I had assumed you were going to do the usual AH thing and replace them all with crosses, even the big one. I have my doubts about whether saying its a broken Swastika is really going to cut it with Hitech as anyone who sees it will still recognise it for what it is. I suggest you ask him if its OK before spending time doing it that way.

[oboe]

That's a good idea, Greebo - thanks.   I'll PM Hitech and ask him.

I don't think I would substitute such an important design element in the nose artwork with something else, like an Iron Cross, for example.   I think that would skew it to more of a fictional, rather than historical skin.   

I did check out IL-2 Great Battles, and this skin is represented with the artwork as it really was, but the swastika kill marks' centers are hollow, making them look more like squares.   

[Vraciu]

I wouldn't bother.   There are others that would be just as cool without the potential controversy, IMHO.

[Vraciu]

I bet the larger texture size of the new P-38 model would allow you to adequately represent the nose art. I don't think it would be possible on the older model.

It would have been a bear. 

[oboe]

Having second thoughts about this skin.  While I still like the colorful cartoon nose art, without painted spinners, tail stripes or emblems, or D-Day stripes or boom stripes - from the pilot's perspective in the cockpit this aircraft would be indistinguishable from a factory fresh bare metal aircraft... 

[Devil 505]

...from the pilot's perspective in the cockpit this aircraft would be indistinguishable from a factory fresh bare metal aircraft...

I would not worry about that so much. A skin from that squadron in those style markings might still be useful in events.

[Vraciu]

Having second thoughts about this skin.  While I still like the colorful cartoon nose art, without painted spinners, tail stripes or emblems, or D-Day stripes or boom stripes - from the pilot's perspective in the cockpit this aircraft would be indistinguishable from a factory fresh bare metal aircraft...

That aspect has never bothered me.  Zemke's 38 is fairly plain but it still has value because of who he was.   I intend to skin that one again.

The issue with this one is how badly you'll need to mangle the nose art to satisfy the censors so to speak.

[oboe]

Yeah, I don't think I'd be willing to alter the nose art.   Kill marks are one thing, eliminating tail swastika markings, sure.  But that nose art is basically the focal point of this skin - there aren't really any other elements.   Wouldn't feel right to me to change it.   As you say, there are plenty of other subjects that wouldn't be controversial.   

I like to have visual cues from the cockpit to help me remember which skin I'm in, if I can.   In the very old '38G skins I did, I had different pinup cards inside the cockpit.   

Why did Zemke have a '38, anyway?  Wasn't he the leader of the 56th FG, and didn't they fly P-47s exclusively?   Was he really a member of S.A.P.P.?

[Drano]

Took command of a P-38 group that eventually switched to 51s. In his book he says he ripped a wing in the mustang flying thru a storm over Germany. Was a POW til end of the war.

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[oboe]

Took command of a P-38 group that eventually switched to 51s. In his book he says he ripped a wing in the mustang flying thru a storm over Germany. Was a POW til end of the war.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Ah, thanks Drano! 

[Vraciu]

Why did Zemke have a '38, anyway?  Wasn't he the leader of the 56th FG, and didn't they fly P-47s exclusively?   Was he really a member of S.A.P.P.?

https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,398952.msg5288189.html#msg5288189


Thanks to Lyric1 for digging up some important photos of this airplane and others in the Group.


This is the the P-38J-15-LO (S/N 43-28823) coded 823-Z flown by Col. Hubert "Hub" Zemke upon assignment as commander of the 479th FG in August 1944.   The 479th’s P-38s would later be replaced with P-51Ds.  Zemke is most well known for his exploits flying P-47s with the 56th FG.    He spent the end of the war as a POW after his Mustang disintegrated in a storm forcing him to bail out over enemy territory, his final tally being 19.5 victories.   

The aircraft was subsequently lost on 25 December 1944 during a strafing run at La Roche, Belgium.   Hit by flak as the aircraft leveled off, it caught fire, climbed 2-300ft before diving into ground and exploding on impact. The pilot, 1st Lt. Bobbie R Rankin, was killed.  (MACR 11900)

[oboe]

Took command of a P-38 group that eventually switched to 51s. In his book he says he ripped a wing in the mustang flying thru a storm over Germany. Was a POW til end of the war.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Which book is that?  I feel the need....the need....to read!